This Month May be the Driest October Ever on Record

We need rain, desperately. The official monthly rainfall total at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford through this morning is just 0.28", which is well below the 2.86" normal through the period. In fact, there have been just four days with measured rain this month, and three of them produced 0.03" or less. The weather forecast calls for dry conditions to continue through the middle of next week.

The dry weather pattern has been with us for the last six weeks. Only six of the last 42 days have produced measured rain. The only appreciable rain happened September 12 when more than an inch (1.13") was recorded. The total rainfall over the six-week span is less than an inch-and-a-half (1.43"). The ground remains extremely dry. Take a look at this month's climate summary for Sikorsky Airport.

The driest October on record happened exactly 50 years ago when a third-of-an-inch was recorded in 1963. Nearly four inches (3.96") of precipitation fell in October of 2011, including the four inches of snow during the Nor'easter of October 29th, while over three inches (3.24") fell last year, including the rain from Hurricane Sandy. Conversely, the wettest October on record happened in 1955 when nearly 11 inches (10.72") fell.

This year's total precipitation is just under 30 inches (29.78"), which is nearly a half-foot below normal (35.24"). The immediate forecast calls for dry weather through the upcoming weekend and into the middle of next week. The weekend will be fair, breezy, and chilly with daytime highs moderating into the upper 50s by Sunday.

However, it looks like rain will finally happen by Halloween evening, which may spoil festivities for the trick-or-treaters once again. You may recall that Halloween was postponed or cancelled in several local communities each of the last two years due to the weather. Further, the forecast for Halloween rain may keep this month from being the driest on record.

Paul